


Sesame Seeds

by SmileAndASong



Category: Marvel, Marvel (Comics), Marvel 616
Genre: Avengers Mountain, Avengers Vol. 8 (2018), Bagels, Cold Weather, Cuddling & Snuggling, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Getting Back Together, Long-Term Relationship(s), M/M, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-13
Updated: 2019-01-13
Packaged: 2019-10-09 12:24:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17406857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmileAndASong/pseuds/SmileAndASong
Summary: After everything Steve and Tony have been through, it's amazing that Tony can still remember Steve's exact bagel preference.





	Sesame Seeds

**Author's Note:**

> The main inspiration for this fic came from [this panel](https://66.media.tumblr.com/0d66ab7be8e579b625109e244c4e9e28/tumblr_pl3rfvoJ421sqep2mo1_1280.png) from Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #40, which reminded me of [this page](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w8Ptci3RJYU/Vla58r1WNDI/AAAAAAAAGAE/FoH8upAUHKY/s1600-Ic42/RCO003.jpg) from allllll the way back in 2005 in New Avengers #3.
> 
> In regards to the setting of this fic, I'm gonna put it right around Avengers vol.8 #8 and I'm also going to take some creative liberty and say Squirrel Girl #37-#40 are happening in conjunction. 
> 
> There's not much about the actual plot of the Avengers book that plays a part in this fic, but the Squirrel Girl plot is mentioned a few times, so here's quick rundown if you haven't read it: In Squirrel Girl #37-#40, Tony gets kidnapped by a skrull that's been impersonating both him and Squirrel Girl. It all works out fine, it's really fun and silly. Tony puts together a press conference in the aftermath to show that he and Squirrel Girl are alive and well, and to dismiss any fear of an actual skrull invasion. At said press conference, there are bagels!
> 
> Comments and kudos are always appreciated, thank you so much for taking the time to read!

“I saw some of the press conference you had with Squirrel Girl. Should we be concerned about the skrulls?” Steve asked bluntly as Tony landed in the arctic base, skipping over all formalities and greetings in true Steve Rogers fashion. 

“That’s kind of a weird way to say, ‘I’m glad you weren’t kidnapped by a skrull forever, Tony’, but okay,” Tony said smugly, his armor falling off gracefully behind him. “There’s no need to worry, I took care of everything as I always do.” 

Once fully out of his armor, Tony was immediately greeted by cold and crisp air on his skin. He shivered. It was always somewhat cold, even on the inside of Avengers Mountain -- it was the North Pole, of course it was going to be chilly -- but this was definitely uncharacteristically cold.

He could tell it wasn’t just him being sensitive to the temperature; Steve was walking around wearing a thick throw blanket on his shoulders and a scowl on his face. Steve was, unsurprisingly, not a fan of cool temperatures, and here he was now living in one of the coldest places on planet Earth for the sake of the Avengers.

No one could ever say Steve Rogers was not a team player.

Speaking of the team, it also seemed quieter than usual at HQ. Was Steve the only one home? A selfish part of Tony hoped so, tempted by the thought of him and Steve getting to be alone on a cold afternoon where anything could -- and hopefully _would_ happen.

Not only that, but the less he had to see of Jen 'hulking out' all over Thor in the common space areas, the better. Now he knew how the rest of the team had likely felt during the days at the mansion, back when he and Steve used to get all 'coupley'. But he liked to think his past instances of PDA with Steve did not even come close to the level of strangeness that was an Asagardian god and a Hulk swapping spit on the couch like two horny teenagers.

Tony almost found himself yearning for Extremis -- but not seriously, or with any finality -- if only so he could delete that mental image from his brain like an unwanted file on a computer.

“Has it been colder in here lately? I haven’t been around ‘cause, you know, got kidnapped by a skrull and all,” Tony said, making no effort to hide the fact that he was fishing for attention and sympathy.

“It started yesterday. It’s not unbearable, but it’s far from ideal,” Steve explained, his focus sadly more on the issue of the temperature than on doting over Tony and his ‘trauma’ from the kidnapping.

Tony pretended it didn’t both him; the stubborn pout he was sporting said otherwise. 

“I think the heating system that T’Challa’s guys installed could use a tune-up, but that’s just a guess,” Steve continued. "It’s not like I really know anything about properly insulating the corpse of a celestial.”

“For once, I don’t know either. But I’ll figure it out, I always do,” Tony said, wrapping his arms around himself to try and keep warm. When he did so, he was quickly reminded of the extremely important lump he had in the inner pocket of his suit jacket. 

“Oh, I almost forgot, I brought you something from the press conference!” Tony pulled out a brown paper bag and handed it to Steve.

Steve blinked and took the crumpled up bag. He didn’t look any less confused after he actually opened it. “What is it?”

“What do you mean ‘what is it’, it is very obviously your absolute favorite, it’s a--” Tony paused as he looked inside the bag to see a squished up pile of dough that now resembled something far more disgusting than the beloved breakfast item it had once been. “--well, it _was_ a sesame seed bagel.”

“Is that what those little specs are? That makes sense,” Steve mused, taking another glimpse inside the bag, now looking far more appreciative of Tony’s sentiment. “I can’t even remember the last time I had a sesame seed bagel, wow! Thank you, Tony.”

Tony nodded, his posture stiffening and his shoulders slumping in slightly. “I just...I don’t even know if you remember, but the last time you and I had bagels together was after the Ryker’s breakout. They didn’t have sesame seed at the deli I went to that morning, so I got you a plain one instead.”

“Oh, man, that was ages ago...” Steve said, an apparent fondness in his voice. “We used to have bagels together almost every morning back in those days.”

“Yeah, we did…” 

The room suddenly felt colder and it wasn't because of any fault in the heating system. 

Steve mirrored Tony’s somber expression back at him as they both seemed to recall just what had happened soon after the Ryker’s incident that made them stop having bagels together.

Tony didn’t address the glaring elephant in the room any further, nor did Steve. It wasn't worth it. It was _never_ worth it. They had been down that road far too many times, and probably countless other times that Tony and Steve had both lost the memories of, given all the restarts they have had over the years. 

There was nothing more to say on the matter - at least, not at the current moment.

“It’s crazy, but I felt so bad about having to give you a plain bagel that morning.” Tony chuckled, attempting to bring the conversation back to its more jovial feeling. “I’ve been meaning to give this to you for a long time, actually.”

Steve gave Tony a look briefly, one that seemed like it was silently thanking him for not directly addressing their most infamous fallout. It was gone as quickly as it had appeared, and he was soon laughing along with Tony. “I gotta say, I can’t believe that after everything we’ve been through, you somehow remembered messing up my bagel order years ago. And you’ve even rebooted your memories -- or erased your mind, whatever you're calling it these days -- what, twice now?”

“Eh, something like that, but I’ll spare you the scientific explanations.” Tony paused, his tone shifting to something much softer. “I guess there are some things you just don’t forget.” 

Tony’s eyes fixated on Steve’s almost impossibly large hands. His own hand twitched with a desire to reach out and grab it, to use it as his gateway to get closer to him, and finally feel the desirable warmth he craved that only Steve could provide. 

He shoved his hands in the silk-lined pockets of his suit pants instead.

“I better get to work on the heater,” Tony mumbled awkwardly. He didn’t want to go, but he also knew he would just get disappointed if he stayed any longer.

It was just a bagel; it didn’t matter that it had 814 perfectly ovate seeds on it, or that it had been the last of its kind at the conference, or that he had shoved about four Daily Bugle reporters aside to get it, or that it was Steve’s very favorite. It had been naive of him to even indulge in the thought of something more coming from it. Steve appreciated his gesture with his thankful words, and Tony should be more than satisfied with that.

Should be.

Tony turned to leave but stopped when he felt the hand he had been staring so longingly at grab a hold of his shoulder.

“Or,” Steve began. “Maybe you can give the heater a break and keep me warm yourself? Like that time we were on a mission in Russia, remember? Your armor got damaged and we cuddled for warmth while we waited for reinforcements.”

“Now _that_ was ages ago, I can't believe you'd even remember that,” Tony said, stepping in closer to Steve. It was closer than he had intended, but he didn’t pull back.

Steve didn’t either.

“I guess there are some things you just don’t forget,” Steve repeated Tony’s own words, and as usual, they sounded better coming out of him, but Tony did have an undeniable bias. 

Steve grabbed Tony’s hand out of his pocket, securely taking a hold of it and unknowingly fulfilling Tony’s silent desire. “Now come on, I’m getting colder by the minute.”

Tony squeezed Steve’s hand like he had to be sure it was really there and that this was really happening. “You don’t have to tell me twice.”

Tony walked with Steve, pressing up against his side, his face nuzzling into the softness of the plush throw blanket. He didn’t even have to use the cold as an excuse to warrant his close proximity, because it was Steve who wanted the closeness, Steve who wanted _him_. 

“It’s a shame the bagel got so crushed," Steve said. "Now I’ve really got a craving."

Tony huffed. “You’re telling me! I nearly lost an eye fighting those ungrateful reporters to get that bagel for you!” Tony ranted. “Sure, they couldn’t be bothered to listen about my saving the world, but they sure as hell could eat all of the food I so graciously supplied.”

“Well I for one would love to hear all about how you saved the day,” Steve offered sweetly. “Why don’t we do it over breakfast tomorrow? Over bagels, if you’d be willing to make the trip?”

“I think I’m free for breakfast tomorrow.” Tony already had a feeling this would be the first of many times that he would be flying from the North Pole to New York to get bagels for breakfast. It would be potentially disastrous for his waistline, but most beneficial for his heart. And besides, it was nothing a few extra hours in the gym or some more rock climbing with Rhodey couldn’t take care of. It would give him an excuse to spend plenty of time with his two best guys, and really, what more could he want? 

“I take it you want a sesame seed with cream cheese?” Tony asked more as a formality, because of course he already knew.

“Yes, please.”

Tony raised an eyebrow at Steve. “How _much_ cream cheese?”

Steve shrugged. “I don’t know, a reasonable amount?” 

Tony barely let Steve finish the sentence before he reached up and crashed their lips together. Steve made a surprised noise and his eyes widened, but he kissed Tony back without question, deepening it with the familiar passion and intensity that Tony always loved.

It didn’t matter how many times the world came crashing down, or how many times Steve came back from the dead, or how many comas Tony found himself in. Tony would never let himself forget how amazing it felt to be kissed by Steve.

“I didn’t know you liked cream cheese so much, Tony,” Steve breathed out once Tony pulled back. He had a pretty bewildered look on his face, but he was still smiling.

“Cream cheese _preferences_ are what’s important here, Steve,” Tony explained, as though it were the most important thing in the world.

“And I take it mine check out alright?” Steve asked, smiling at Tony. 

“Oh, they definitely do,” Tony said fondly. “They’re perfect.”

Tony smiled back; it wasn’t nearly as brilliant and perfect as Steve’s, but it was sincere and warm. Even when it was over something as trivial as bagel topping preferences, it was the kind of smile only Steve could get out of him, time and time again.


End file.
